Queens Man faces 25 years in prison after one of the biggest weapons busts in NYPD history.

Police officials standing in front of some of the weapons seized during Sunday's raid in Queens. PHOTO: NYPD.

Oakland Gardens, Queens- A Queens man faces up to a quarter-century in prison after a large cache of weapons was discovered in his home over the weekend, according to officials.

NYPD Intelligence Bureau Chief Thomas Galati stated that the events leading up to the weapons bust began on Saturday, April 14th, when Sergeant Forest Hirsch from the 81st Precinct’s Field Intelligence Unit obtained information that there was a large cache of weapons inside a residence located at 58-08 208 St.

Officers from the unit immediately set up surveillance of the residence and consequently obtained a search warrant from the Queens County District Attorney’s office to conduct a search, according to police.

Chief Galati said on Sunday, April 15th at approximately 2 AM, officers from the Emergency Service Unit carried out the search warrant and discovered a large “cache of weapons”—one of the biggest stockpile of weapons recovered in a single search warrant in the NYPD’s history, Galati stated.

Some of the weapons seized during Sunday’s raid in Queens. Ronald Drabman of Queens faces multiple counts of weapon possession. PHOTO: NYPD.

Police officials said that 71 weapons were recovered in total—they included 23 handguns and 45 rifles, shotguns and assault rifles. Additionally, 50,000 rounds of ammunition and 100 high-capacity magazines were seized, according to police.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown stated in a press release that 60-year-old Ronald Drabman, of Bayside Queens, was arrested in connection with the weapons bust; he was later charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of stolen property and one count of criminal sale of a weapon.

Some of the weapons seized during Sunday’s raid in Queens. Ronald Drabman of Queens faces multiple counts of weapon possession. PHOTO: NYPD.

Mr. Drabman faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the charges filed against him, Brown stated.

Officials said Mr. Drabman does not have a firearms license and is not a gun dealer; he has two prior arrests—his last arrest was in 2017 for possession of a loaded .357-revolver handgun that was discovered after he was involved in a traffic collision in Queens, according to police.

Chief Galati stated that because the investigation remains ongoing, he “does not want to provide” additional information how officers came about receiving the tip that led them to Mr. Drabman’s alleged stockpile of weapons.